PhoulBallz.com

Baseball never stops and neither does Phillies Nation. It's another weekly edition of the Phillies off-season league rundown featuring updates on players from around the globe. Read ahead for all the info with activity through Saturday. Venezuelan Winter League- Aaron Altherr, image- Jay Floyd Aaron Altherr is done with his time in Venezuela. The righty batting outfielder hit .286 with four home runs, 27 RBI and a stolen base in 31 games for Zulia. The 23-year-old played in two games with the big league Phillies this year. In 127 minor league games in 2014, the Phillies' 9th round pick in 2009 posted a .237 average with 14 HR, 59 RBI and 13 stolen bases. In 31 games with Zulia, shortstop Freddy Galvis is batting .254 with seven doubles, a triple, a homer and eight RBI. In 43 big league contests this year, the 25-year-old switch-hitter batted .176 with four home runs and 12 RBI. Elvis Araujo sports a 2-0 record with a 0.66 ERA in 11 relief outings for Zulia. Th

It's time once again for another weekly review of Phillies players' performances and progress in off-season leagues around the globe. Dominican Winter League- Maikel Franco, image- Jay Floyd Third baseman Maikel Franco has been in a slump lately, going 3-for-27 (.111 avg) over his last seven games. One positive out of that is that two of his three hits during that time are home runs. Overall in 22 games for the Gigantes, the 22-year-old is batting .239 with six homers and 21 RBI. This year in 133 contests with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the righty hitting Franco posted a .257 batting average with 16 home runs and 78 RBI. Right-handed reliever Hector Neris has made 11 scoreless appearances for the Toros while striking out five and walking four in 8 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old appeared in one game with the Phils this year, earning a win in his big league debut. Australian Baseball League- Power hitting outfielder Dylan Cozens has a .205 average with three homer

Jesse Biddle, image- Jay Floyd It was announced on Thursday that the Phillies added three young hurlers to the big league 40-man roster. Lefties Jesse Biddle and Adam Morgan along with righty Nefi Ogando were that trio. Biddle has been among the Phillies' top prospects since he was selected by them with the 27th overall pick in 2010. This news is a rare positive nugget about the 23-year-old, who had a terribly difficult 2014 after missing a lengthy stretch with a a concussion, sitting out his final start of the regular season with a separate ailment and being shut down with elbow soreness after making two appearance this autumn in off-season ball in Puerto Rico. Since debuting at the Double-A level to begin last year, Biddle hasn't looked too sharp, posting a 10-24 record along with a 4.02 ERA in 46 appearances over the last two seasons. Additionally, his 9.52 K/9 mark is very exciting, but the 5.14 BB/9 average (evidence of control concerns) that goes along with

On Tuesday, the Phillies released their planned 2015 coaching staffs for their minor league affiliates. The Triple-A level will maintain the same group with Dave Brundage staying on as manager, Ray Burris and Sal Rende returning as pitching coach and hitting coach respectively along with Mickey Morandini coming back as bench coach. Dusty Wathan, image- Jay Floyd Reading skipper Dusty Wathan will return for his fourth year with the team. Pitching coach Dave Lundquist will also be back at the Double-A level, while hitting coach Frank Cacciatore, who previously worked with the Reading team from 2008-2013 and with Clearwater in 2014, will make his return to Reading. Class A Advanced Clearwater will have a new manager, as Greg Legg has been promoted after holding the same position with Class A Lakewood last season. 2014 Reading hitting coach Rob Ducey will work with the Threshers next year, while Steve Schrenk , who previously coached in Clearwater in 2007-2008, will be back

The Arizona Fall League wrapped up play last week, with the team that Phillies’ players were assigned to, the Scottsdale Scorpions, finishing with a league-worst 12-20 record. The team was also made up of representatives from the Yankees, Pirates, Mets and Giants. Seven Phillies players took part and spent time battling against other organizations’ best young prospects. Below is a rundown of each of those Phils competitors’ AFL efforts with details on what to expect from each individual going forward. Centerfielder Roman Quinn posted a .250 batting average with two triples, two home runs, nine RBI and a league leading 14 stolen bases in 24 games. His .720 OPS was just a bit higher than the .713 mark he posted in 88 games with Class A Advanced Clearwater this year. The 21-year-old was the Phillies’ 2nd round draft choice in 2011. He underwent surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon last off-season but returned to action this year without any negative impact to his highly rega

Late last week the Phillies signed minor league free agent Elvis Araujo to a big league contract and it was partly a relationship in the team's front office that helped get the deal rolling. Araujo, a six-foot-six 215 pound lefty has previously pitched in the Cleveland organization, tallying a 22-14 record with 11 saves and a 3.87 ERA in 102 games (57 starts) in his five-year professional career. Last year, the 23-year-old, who regularly reaches the upper 90's with his fastball, split his season between Class A Advanced Carolina and Double-A Akron, posting a 3.42 ERA and a 9.0 K/9 mark in his first season working exclusively as a reliever. Pitching for Zulia in the Venezuela Winter League, where his teammates include 2014 Phillies contributors Freddy Galvis and Aaron Altherr , Araujo has a 2-0 record with 11 strike outs, three walks and no runs allowed in 8 1/3 innings over seven appearances. Another Phillies tie with the Zulia club is the team's assistance genera

It was announced on Thursday that the Phillies and outfielder Jeff Francoeur have agreed to terms on a minor league contract. The agreement includes an invitation to spring training. Last season for Triple-A El Paso in the Padres organization, Francoeur tallied a .289 batting average with 15 homers and 69 RBI in 115 games. In 10 big league games with San Diego in 2014, the six-foot-four 220-pounder went 2-for-24 (.083 avg). Francoeur, who has also played with Atlanta, Kansas City, Texas, San Francisco and the Mets, possesses a .262/.305/.417 slash line in parts of 10 seasons in the majors. Francoeur grabbed headlines early last season after he was the target of a lengthy prank by his El Paso teammates, who convinced the 30-year-old that a member of the roster, hurler Jorge Reyes , was deaf. In 2005, as a member of the Braves, Francoeur finished third in National League rookie of the year voting behind Phils first baseman Ryan Howard and Houston outfielder Willy Taveras . Add

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced to reporters on Tuesday that top pitching prospect Jesse Biddle had experienced elbow soreness and would be headed to Philadelphia for evaluation. The six-foot-five 220-pound lefty allowed seven earned runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings in his most recent outing for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican/ Roberto Clemente League on Saturday. In his only other outing in the fall/winter league, Biddle was charged with two earned runs in three innings of work on October 31st. Biddle, a Philadelphia native, missed considerable time during the regular season this year, as he was sidelined with a concussion while pitching for Double-A Reading. This year Biddle sported a 5-10 record along with a 4.58 ERA and an 8.75 K/9 mark in 19 minor league starts (16 with Reading). He struck out seven and walked four in 5 1/2 total innings. The concern surrounding Biddle's progress shouldn't be too high, while the injuries have piled up. Rece

Over the weekend, my great friend Chris married his lady Brie.  Leading up to the big day, the other groomsmen, Brie and I teamed up to bring long-time Phillies and Eagles PA announcer Dan Baker aboard the wedding train to announce the parents and full bridal party at the reception as a surprise for the groom. Below is a video clip of the look on Chris's face when the man in charge of entertainment for the evening, Darnell Smith of the Sixers, disclosed details about the special guest announcer to everyone in attendance, including Chris.  It's a cool moment.  There's also a clip of Baker's actual introduction of the lovely couple.  Check them out. The groom @macdiamond84 is surprised to learn #Phillies PA announcer Dan Baker will be introducing his wedding party... #meetthemcmillins A video posted by Jay Floyd (@revjayfloyd) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:41am PST #meetthemcmillins- #Phillies PA announcer Dan Baker introduces @its_brieanne & @macdiam

This week's rundown includes details on some Phillies players making their off-season league debuts including Ethan Martin , Cesar Hernandez as well as outfield prospect Dylan Cozens along with updates on key names such as Jesse Biddle , Maikel Franco and Aaron Altherr . Read ahead for all your fall/winter league updates from around the globe. Puerto Rico/ Roberto Clemente League Lefty pitcher Jesse Biddle had an alarming outing with Mayaguez on Saturday, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings while striking out four and walking two. The 23-year-old sports a 15.19 ERA in two outings in Puerto Rico. Biddle, the Phils' top draft pick in 2010, posted a 5-10 record with a 4.58 ERA in 19 starts in the minors this year. Also with Mayaguez, Jesmuel Valentin , who was acquired from the Dodgers by the Phils in the Roberto Hernandez trade this year, is 2-for-7 with an RBI in five games. The 20-year-old infielder posted a .273/.341/.412 slash line in 120 min

Reflect on how far the Phillies have fallen. As if three straight seasons without a postseason weren't enough to have the dismal state of the team sink in, they just had a not-quite-average veteran turn down $12.75 million in order to have a chance to pitch for a team that will actually compete next year. A.J. Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker: “We do expect that he will pitch in ’15. For a contender.” — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 4, 2014

Throughout the autumn and winter months, we'll be bringing you weekly roundups of how various Phillies players are performing in off-season leagues around the globe. This edition includes details on top pitching prospect Jesse Biddle 's Puerto Rico debut, OF Roman Quinn , who shined in the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game on Saturday as well as plenty more. Read ahead for all the details. Puerto Rico/ Roberto Clemente League- Jesse Biddle, image- Jay Floyd Lefty pitcher Jesse Biddle allowed two earned runs, striking out three and walking two in three innings of work in a start for Mayaguez in his season debut on Friday. The 23-year-old was the Phils' top draft choice in 2010. Biddle posted a 5-10 record with a 4.58 ERA in 19 starts in the minors this year. Also with Mayaguez, Jesmuel Valentin , who was acquired from the Dodgers by the Phils in the Roberto Hernandez trade this year, is hitless with a walk in two at bats in two games. The 20-year-old infie